photo credit: Noah Abrams
Wildwood Retreat Center caretaker Ron Wood points out the 
topographic features on a map of Wildwood's property, on
September 24, 2025.

The Wildwood Retreat Center, which served as a hospice during the AIDS crisis in the 1980's, is on the brink of closing for good.

It first opened as secluded retreat for gay men in the 1970's.

In the 1980's the retreat became a place for AIDS patients to find respite amongst the oaks and redwoods on Wildwood's 210 acre property northwest of Guerneville.

Following a complaint to Sonoma County code enforcement in 2017, the retreat was ordered to cease operations in 2019, and Ron Wood said the past few years have brought challenges, ones he fears they won't be able to overcome.

"We spent a million dollars and four years to get the zoning change from agricultural to timber, canceling the Williamson Act agreement, getting our timber harvest plan, which is required for timber[land]," Wood said. "Getting Cal Fire to accept our forward stewardship plan in lieu of a timber harvest plan because we don't want to cut down any trees..."

Wood said he has been caretaker at Wildwood since 2019, he is also a board member of the Wildwood Conservation Foundation, which since 2000 has run the retreat center and managed the rugged property, which borders Austin Creek along Old Cazadero Road.

"We're totally ready to turn on all of the repairs, bring everything up to code and open for business," Wood said.

The issue, Wood said, is the foundation's revenue, which has come from hosting weekend events and programming, often for local LGBT organizations, and unable to do business without having the retreat up to code, Wood said they've tried to seek outside donations to finance the repairs and renovations.

"Sadly, the fundraising for the capital improvements fell short, like way short," Wood said. "So, over a year ago, we had to put up the property for sale."

Wood said he's holding out hope for a large donation, and said Wildwood has a plan in place to repair and reopen on a sustainable financial footing if they can raise $5 million dollars by October.